peter holland jr., tallahassee democrat
·4 min read
Florida State football starting the season 0-1 is one thing. But falling to 0-2 overall and in the ACC after being 10th-ranked in the Top-25 AP preseason pollis another.
That is something the Seminoles can't afford.
Boston College, however, will not be a walk-in-the-park for the Seminoles.
As many will recall, FSU nearly fell to the Eagles at Chestnut Hill last season, escaping with a 31-29 victory.
While this is a new Boston College team with Bill O'Brien taking as head coach, BC's quarterback Thomas Castellanos is back with the Eagles and might be looking to steal one at Doak Campbell Stadium.
As FSU searches for its first win of the year, here are the three keys to victory against the Eagles.
Eye spy on Boston College's quarterback
FSU's game plan should be determined by what Castellanos does with the football. The 5-foot-9 quarterback is faster and just as elusive as Georgia Tech's Haynes King.
The last time FSU's defense faced the Eagles, Castellanos produced 400 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, almost upsetting the then-undefeated Seminoles.
Castellanos went on to lead the Eagles with 2,248 yards passing, 1,113 rushing, and 28 total scores last season.
What makes it a tougher matchup for FSU is that he will be in Bill O'Brien's system.
One thing FSU does know is that Castellanos is a scrambler. If the defense leaves the tackle box exposed, he will not hesitate to run up the middle and gain extra yards.
"He's a great quarterback," FSU coach Mike Norvell said. "He is a great threat, arm talent and all things possesses. We're going to be accountable to all of them."
FSU must have at least one linebacker playing spy on the junior. The defensive line must also pressure the QB, force him to throw in the pocket, and not extend plays.
Do not break contain
The Seminoles' defense struggled to set the edge the last time they faced the Eagles. And this continued in last week's loss to Georgia Tech. Norvell and defensive coordinator Adam Fuller were mentioned throughout the week.
With Castellanos' mobility, the last thing FSU needs to do is allow the BC quarterback or whoever is the ball carrier to bounce outside.
Whoever is lined in the edge, mainly the defensive ends, must contain the outside and hold traffic so the runner will have nowhere to go but inside.
Maximize time of possession
During Norvell's Monday press conference, he mentioned that FSU's offense had seven possessions last week against Georgia Tech.
While FSU scored four of those seven possessions, opportunities were missed to add more points. FSU's time of possession was 30:39. FSU must take advantage of every possession.
As Norvell said, Every play counts.
FSU cannot allow to leave empty-handed when the time of possession is in its favor, especially now that college football has a two-minute warning.
FSU was 5 of 12 in third-down conversions but was two of three in fourth-down conversions.
This goes to Norvell's game-calling and game management. The offense led by quarterback DJ Uiagalelei must also execute the call consistently.
Peter Holland's scoring prediction
Florida State Football 27 Boston College 13: The Seminoles will bounce back and play efficiently on both sides. I expect the FSU defense will come to play. They now have something to prove after a disappointing performance against Georgia Tech.
Norvell must play into quarterback Uiagalelei's strength, which is throwing the ball downfield. Uiagalelei must also play consistently and stare at his receivers while they are downfield. He must get the ball quickly to his playmakers.
I can see him having a two-touchdown performance against the Eagles. FSU looked better in the second half once they opened the playbook to Oregon State transfer.
How can I watch FSU football vs. Boston College
Date: Monday, Sept. 2
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
TV: ESPN
Streaming:ESPN+ ($10.99 per month), WatchESPN and the ESPN app (TV provider subscription needed), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)
FSU football schedule 2024: TV channels, dates and start times
All times Eastern
Saturday, Aug. 24: vs. Georgia Tech* (Aer Lingus College Football Classic) Lost 24-21
Monday, Sept. 2: vs. Boston College* | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
Saturday, Sept. 7: Bye
Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. Memphis | Noon | ESPN (Fubo)
Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Cal*
Saturday, Sept. 28: at SMU*
Saturday, Oct. 5: vs. No. 14 Clemson*
Saturday, Oct. 12: Bye
Friday, Oct. 18: at Duke* | 7 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 26: at No. 19 Miami*
Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. North Carolina*
Saturday, Nov. 9: at No. 7 Notre Dame | 7:30 p.m. | NBC (Fubo, Peaco*ck)
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. Charleston Southern
Saturday, Nov. 30: vs. Florida
Saturday, Dec. 6: ACC championship game (Charlotte, N.C.)
Dec. 7: ACC Championship
BOLD = ACC
* = Neutral Site
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 3 keys for FSU football to beat Boston College in home opener
